The Canadian Province of Ontario brought back strict lockdown measures this week to "slow the spread" of the Omicron variant of COVID-19; imposing new rules on schools, gyms, and indoor dining.
“All schools in Canada’s most populous province will be shut down and move to online learning because of a record number of coronavirus infections fueled by the ultra-contagious omicron variant, Ontario’s premier announced Monday,” reports the New York Post.
Premier Doug Ford also confirmed that indoor dining will be banned in restaurants across the province.
"The immediate goal of these measures will be to blunt the latest wave so we can ease the pressure on our hospitals," Ford told reporters.
"The level of absenteeism we're seeing in other sectors tells us with absolute certainty that operating schools, ensuring teachers are on the job and not home sick will be a challenge we cannot overcome in the short-term,” he added.
"The evidence tells us that about one per cent of people who get Omicron will end up in the hospital," concluded the Premier. "One per cent of hundreds of thousands is too many new patients."
According to health officials, Canada has confirmed 2.3 million cases of COVID resulting in 30,409 deaths since the outbreak began in early 2020.
Read the full report at the New York Post.
